Australia is New Zealand’s nearest neighbour, but the distance from Auckland to Sydney is the same as that from London to Istanbul. Initially it was not known how far apart Australia and New Zealand really were. In this map of 1663, showing explorer Abel Tasman’s survey of the ‘Southern Continent’, Australia is without east and south coastlines, and only parts of Tasmania and the west coast of New Zealand appear.
Using this item
National Library of Australia
Reference:
nla.gen-an6529463-1-1-1-s324a
Map by John Harris
Permission of the National Library of Australia must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
Add new comment